"original Condition" Are You Kidding?

[Diverdave]

Having recently purchased a 1905 Lachenal English for restoration. I was fascinated to see the number of previous 'repairs' that have been made. It would seem "Just get it working" was the philosophy. The fretwork on the ends is so rough; that I suspect a jigsaw was used to make them. Looking at the 1905 price list I suspect it was originally a rosewood version of the basic model. I have looked at other similar models, with a view to getting a feel for how it should look, but many have the same modifications. My question is, as the records for that year are no more, do I restore to the original (what ever that may be) or upgrade to the best quality I can?

[Paul Read]

Why not put some picture up so we can see what you mean about the condition.

[Diverdave]

Why not put some picture up so we can see what you mean about the condition.

I am waiting for a book on concertina maintenance before I strip it down and have a look. On reflection my comment on the fretwork was misplaced. It would seem that following comparison with another Lachenal Popular, that quality was not a main selling feature of this model. Now before people jump down my throat, I realise that these were hand made, but, the problem lies with the template design, which leaves a lot to be desired. I find it interesting that in the forty odd years to when my Popular was made, that no one looked at the template and thought "I could improve that" Maybe I am missing the point, maybe they were designed with flaws like that so people would think "Well it looks handmade" The last possibility is that someone made a batch of ends in their garage and they have found there way onto our concertinas. I suspect I am just comparing the quality of a one hundred year old hand made product, with todays modern materials and production techniques. No doubt that after stripping it down and lovingly restoring it, I will have a different view.

[Stephen Chambers]

It would seem that following comparison with another Lachenal Popular, that quality was not a main selling feature of this model. Now before people jump down my throat, I realise that these were hand made, but, the problem lies with the template design, which leaves a lot to be desired. I find it interesting that in the forty odd years to when my Popular was made, that no one looked at the template and thought "I could improve that" Maybe I am missing the point ...

I think that maybe you are, it was astonishing that they could make them at all for the price !

 

When the original mahogany-ended "People's concertina" was announced in 1862 it was to be the cheapest 48-key model that anyone has ever produced, introduced by Louis Lachenal's widow Elizabeth (who had Socialist leanings) to replace a more expensive model with only 40 keys costing £2 15s 0d. Indeed the price then, of 2 guineas (£2 2s 0d), was kept the same until World War 1. It was probably almost a "loss leader" for the Lachenal firm, and they seem to have had to discontinue it as their cheapest model in the inflation that followed the War, replacing it with the "Popular", upgraded to rosewood ends, steel reeds and 5-fold bellows, at £8 16s 0d (8 1/2 guineas).

 

But the reason the "fretwork" might look rather rounded & blotchy is that it was cut not by hand, but with a pattern-following spindle cutter, and no doubt the pattern had become rather worn-down over all those years ...